Paper-fastener.



W. F. MERRILL.

PAPER FASTENER.

APPLIOA'I'ION FILED FEB. 10, 1913.

Patented Oct. 6, 19M.

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aw J, 4161/4 UNITED s'r ATES WILLIAM F. MERRILL, 0F BROOKIZNE, MASSACHUSB'I'ES, ASSIGNQR BU Slut:

PAT I BUREAU, or cameraman, nassacnusnr'rs, a conrona'rron on NEW .rnns'nr.

PAPER-FASTENEE.

Specification of Letters ltatent.

Patented that rare.

To all 10110772, it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. Manama, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Paper-Fasteners, of which the following is a. specification.

This invention relates to aper fasteners of the kind by which a number of sheets of paper may be detachably bound togethenfor filing purposes, and consists in a two piece fastener containing the novel and improved features of construction hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a apcr fastener embodying the invention,I igure 1 is a plan view of one of the two pieces, of which the fastener is composed, namely, the base piece; Fig. 2 is a plan view of t ie other of the two pieces, namely, the washer; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the fastener assembled and in operative position; Fig. 4 is a bottom lan view of the assembled fastener; Fig. 5 1s a. longitu- (linal section of the assembled fastener; Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 6-6 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a cross section on line 77 of Fig. 2.

The base consists of a relatively long and narrow plateaof sheet metal, having formed integral therewith the lengthwise extending binding arms I), one at each end. The base a is made substantially inflexible under the ordinary conditions of use by the longitudinal stiffening ribs 0, which are struck up from the metal of the base, while the arms b are flexible for the purpose hereinafter described. At the ends of the base a are the short flexible fastening prongs d by which the base may be secured to the outside or cover sheet of the bound sheets. Said prongs d are made integral with the base and arranged beside the binding arms b, as shown.

The washer e consists of a long and narrow plate of sheet metal, provided with two slots or apertures 7, near its ends, spaced apart substantially the same distance as the distance between bases of the arms 17. Said washer also has one or more lon 'tudinal stifl'ening ribs, 9 struck up from t e metal and extendin between the a rtures f.

In use, the liase a is applied to the outside t or cover sheet, by bending the binding arms I) and the rongs d at rlght angles to the base along tlie dotted lines h (Fig. 1), passing them through the sheet either by previously preparing slits for the purpose, or by piercing the sheet with the pointed ends 0 arms b, and the ends of rongs d, and then bending and clenching t e prongs d down on the outside or cover sheet, as most clearly shown in Fig. 5. The base will thereby be secured to the under side of the cover sheet b the prongs clenched on the upper side 0 the sheet, and the arms I), will stand upright from the cover in position to receive other sheets and the washer. The cover" sheet and several additional sheets are indicated by =A. To ap ly the washer, the arms I) are inserted through apertures f and the washer slippeddown on the arms 6 as far as it :will go, and the flexible binding arms '6 are then bent outwardly or inwardly (preferably the former) flat on the top sheet, thus securel binding the sheets A together between t e base a: and washer e.

I claim :7

1. A paper fastener comprising a relatively lon and narrow base having a narrower flexible binding arm integral with the base extending in a line from each end thereof and in the lane of the base, said arms adapted to be ent at right angles to the base at their junction therewith, a pair of integral flexible fastening prongs shorter than said arms projecting from each of said base ends on opposite sides of and arallel with said arms adapted to be to ded on lines continuous with the folds of said arms and pressed flat upon the base to secure the latter to a. cover sheet, and a narrow washer longer than the base having apertures near its ends through which said binding arms are passed to be afterward bent laterally over the washer.

2. A paper fastener comprising a relatively long and narrow base provlded with longitudinal stiffening ribs extending nearly to the ends thereof, aninte al flexible binding arm narrower than said base projecting from each end lengthwise of the base and a apted to be bent at right angles thereto, a pair of straight narrow flexible fastening prongs projecting integrally from each 

